Spectacular shows and events at Drayton Manor Theme Park
The award-winning Drayton Manor Theme Park, which is famed for its amazing rides, including the brand new Thomas Land™, is promising families a season packed with fantastic live entertainment, including shows, concerts and fireworks.
Car enthusiasts should head on over to the theme park, near Tamworth, Staffordshire, this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 9th, 10th, 11th May, as there will be dozens of stunning vehicles on display at the American Hot Rods weekend. The event will take place on the park’s show field, which will also feature a trade arena, fun activities and evening entertainment. Entry cost applies. See www.rodandcustom.co.uk or call 01933 625183 for more information.
Following on from the success of last year, Drayton Manor Theme Park has brought The Voyage to the Rainbow’s End back to its Big Top Theatre. With its blend of swashbuckling action, stunt acts, comedy and music, the show will thrill and entertain audiences of all ages.
Throughout 2008, The Cosmic Catz will take over the theme park’s 
Television Theatre. The Catz are a sensational pop band, who work undercover for superhero Cryton Storm, to defeat the evil Toxic in his bid to steal the earth’s energy.
Drayton Manor Theme Park’s major summer spectacular will be the Crusade to the Lost Temple, which tells the story of ancient secrets that could destroy the earth if they fall into the wrong hands. The 45-minute show will be an explosive extravaganza featuring speciality acts from around the world.
The Voyage to the Rainbow’s End is now showing and will run until 1st June. The Crusade to the Lost Temple will run from 19th July to 2nd September. An additional cost will apply for each of these shows (£2 per person. Free for under 4s).
Other events at Drayton Manor Theme Park in 2008 include:
15th June: ‘Super Dad Day’. On Father’s Day, dads face the challenge of riding the park’s Super Six – our six biggest rides (G-force, Bounty, Shockwave, Maelstrom, Storm Force 10 and Pandemonium) – to win £1,000 in a fabulous Grab-a-Grand competition.
In addition, dads will get free entry into the park with a full paying child. For more information visit www.draytonmanorlive.co.uk
5th July and 6th September: Club Association’s Day. A special promotion price of £12 per person is being offered to members of recognised clubs and associations, such as football teams, Scouts, Brownies, RNLI and more. Call 0844 472 1960 now to book.
8th August: ‘Abba Mania’. Come and see the number one Abba tribute band perform some of the most memorable and popular songs in music history.
The show has toured the world since 1999 and is now heading to Drayton Manor Theme Park. Call 0844 472 1960 to book now and receive discounts. Starts 7pm. Additional entry cost applies.
9th August: ‘Viva Las Vegas’, The King is coming to Drayton Manor Theme Park. Heath Ashton, winner of GMTV’s Best Elvis competition, will perform some of the legendary rock n roll star’s best hits.
But that’s not all. A picnic and firework display will make this a rockin’ night to remember. Call 0844 472 1960 now to book. Starts 7pm. Additional entry cost applies.
10th August: ‘Kylie Mania’. Kylie Minogue tribute artist, Adele Rankin, from Channel 4 television show, Musicality, will entertain the masses with hits including Locomotion, Spinning Around and Can’t Get You Out of My Head. Starts 1pm. Additional entry cost applies.
There will also be performances by an international cast of singers and dancers. Call 0844 472 1960 to book.
All three concerts are in support of Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
7th September: ‘Grandparents Day’. Details can be found on www.draytonmanorlive.co.uk closer to the date.
25th October – 2nd November: ‘Halloween Spooky Spectacular’. Come to the Big Top Theatre for our Halloween party. Extra charge applies. There will be plenty of spooky, scary, family fun in October and November, including a live show – Spooky Spectacular – along with Drayton Manor’s friendly ghost Jasper and his friends.
25th – 31st October: Late openings during Half Term. Halloween themed lighted walks through the zoo, as well as a Thomas Halloween Train Service.
1st & 2nd November: Fireworks. Enjoy the end-of-season firework displays, which take place to music as they light up the night sky. Many of the park’s rides operate until 9pm.
22nd November – 23rd December: Thomas Land re-opens as Sodor is transformed into a Christmas Wonderland for all the family, with roast chestnuts and Mrs Kyndley’s Christmas Cakes. There is also ‘Santa’s Magical Adventure’ in the Big Top Theatre. Santa’s little helpers will escort visitors through the Valley of the Trees with thousands of fairy lights to the entrance of Santa’s Magical Adventure, where every child’s wish comes true.
Visitors will also be able to enjoy skating on an outdoor synthetic skating rink and enjoy some festive fireworks on 22nd & 23rd December.
See www.draytonmanorlive.co.uk for full listings. Further details available in enclosed live shows brochure.
Drayton Manor Theme Park was first opened to the public by the Bryan family in 1950, after co-founders, husband and wife, George and Vera Bryan, converted 80 acres of land into a wonderful family pleasure resort.
Almost 60 years later, Drayton Manor has been transformed into an award-winning attraction located in approximately 280 acres of beautiful parkland and packed with amazing rides for all ages. Drayton Manor remains a family owned and run theme park and is one of the Midlands’ most popular attractions with over a million people visiting annually.
The park also features a first class 15-acre zoo that is home to more than 100 different animal species from around the world.
Opening and closing times
The 2008 season runs until 2nd November. Rides operate from 10.30am to 5pm or 6pm depending on the time of year. The zoo is open throughout the year, except during certain dates each Christmas and New Year. In the run up to Christmas, Thomas Land will be open on selected dates.
For more information, see www.draytonmanor.co.uk or call the 24-hour information line on 0844 472 1950. Tickets can also be bought by calling the Ticket Hotline on 0844 472 1960.
The park’s full address is Drayton Manor Theme Park, near Tamworth, Staffordshire, B78 3TW.
Supporting good causes
Drayton Manor Theme Park has a long and proud history of supporting a variety of charities and good causes. Throughout 2008, Drayton Manor will be the National Family Zone Sponsor of Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation UK (JDRF UK) and will
support a number of Walk to Cure Diabetes events around the country.
These walks raise vital funds as JDRF UK continues to support research into finding a cure for type 1 diabetes and its complications. Type 1 diabetes affects an estimated 350,000 people across the country, including 20,000 children.
Drayton Manor also supports:
Birmingham Children’s Hospital
RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution)
Rotary Kids Out
Whittington St Giles Hospice
Tamworth Boxing Club
Drayton Manor Boys Football club
Drayton Manor MG Metro Racing Championship
Awards
Drayton Manor Theme Park won the Best UK Value Destination Award in the Group Leisure Awards 2007, as well as a Silver Award for Large Visitor Attraction of the Year at The Excellence in Tourism Awards 2007.
About Thomas Land
Drayton Manor Theme Park’s brand new attraction, Thomas Land, promises to become a hugely popular destination for the legion of Thomas & Friends™ fans across the UK and Europe. Based on the popular Thomas & Friends™ books and the highly successful Thomas Land in Japan, which attracts over a 1.7 million visitors per year, Thomas Land is set within the 280-acre award-winning Drayton Manor Theme Park, which also boasts thrilling rides and a first class zoo, providing total family entertainment. Carefully created in partnership with HIT Entertainment, the producers and rights owners of Thomas & Friends™, Thomas Land features 12 themed rides, including a special Thomas the Tank Engine train ride that takes visitors on an enchanting journey around the three-acre attraction. Alongside this, Thomas Land also boasts the ultimate retail store, brimming with exclusive Thomas & Friends™ merchandise, plus an indoor play arena for younger visitors, new restaurants and private function space.
About HIT Entertainment
HIT Entertainment, owned by private equity investment group Apax Partners, is one of the world's leading independent children's entertainment producers 
and rights-owners.
HIT's portfolio includes properties, such as Barney™, Bob the Builder™, Thomas & Friends™, Pingu™, Fireman Sam™, Angelina Ballerina™ and Rainbow Magic™. HIT represents Fifi and the Flowertots™ in North America and Japan and acts as a worldwide representative for The Jim Henson Company’s library of classic family brands and as representative for The Wiggles® in the UK. Launched in 1989, HIT’s lines of business span television and video production (including studios in the US and the UK), publishing, consumer products licensing and live events. With a catalogue of more than 1,500 hours of young children's programming, HIT sells its shows to more than 240 countries worldwide, in more than 40 different languages and has operations in the UK, US, Canada, Hong Kong and Japan. In 2005, the Company joined Comcast Corporation, PBS and Sesame Workshop to launch PBS KIDS SproutSM, a 24-hour digital cable channel and VOD service for preschoolers. In 2007, HIT and Chellomedia, the European content division of Liberty Global, Inc and its subsidiary ChelloZone, announced a joint venture to launch and distribute JimJam, an international pre-school TV channel (excludes the US, UK and China). For more information, visit www.hitentertainment.com.
